trends, issues, and resources of interest to the Hawaii legislative community
hawaii legislative reference bureau library

6.22.2009

Health insurance exchange

Earlier this month the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) issued a study that examines managed competition and using a health insurance exchange to address cost, quality, and access to health care services. From the press release:

A key element being discussed as part of health reform—the creation of a health insurance exchange that would offer new forms of insurance pooling, combined with an individual mandate and guaranteed issue—would restructure the health insurance market and has major implications for the existing employment-based benefits system....

Relating to the exchange, the paper discusses risk vs. price competition, adverse selection and affordability, the public plan option, and the future of employment-based coverage.